Who

Rabbi Samuel Barth is a scholar and master teacher of Jewish prayer and ritual, as well as a creative practitioner who has enriched the communal experience of synagogues of all outlooks across the country. He is an Israeli, born in Haifa to parents who made Aliyah in 1946, so the stories and dreams of the early days of Israel were a constant part of family life – even after relocating to London. MoreLess

His own activism began while an undergraduate at Sussex University (UK) as a campus leader in opposition to the 1970s UN resolution equating Zionism with racism.

Rabbinic study at Leo Baeck College (London) and Yeshivot in Jerusalem followed undergraduate studies in theoretical physics and philosophy. Rabbi Barth has served as a congregational rabbi in Brooklyn (NY), Austin (TX), Gloucester (MA) and as a consultant to synagogues across the US and in Europe. He was the rabbinic leader of the first ever community trip to Israel from Austin. Barth has served as professor and dean at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), The Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR) and the ALEPH Ordination program. In teaching Liturgy to future rabbis and cantors, his courses emphasize the reality of community life as well as textual scholarship.

Rabbi Barth is married to Karen Barth, a strategic management consultant with extensive experience developing strategy within the Jewish and Israeli communities. Their children Yishai and Miriam have visited Israel often and have been an “in house lab” for testing ideas and projects. He is a lover of travel, of opera and of folk music, a student of martial arts, a fair cook and an advocate around issues of disability and inclusion.

Fredda Hamilton, Curriculum Design

Fredda Hamilton has worked in Jewish Education as a teacher, family educator, curriculum writer, and school director since 1978. She brings her experience and enthusiasm for creating engaging approaches to Jewish ritual and education to the Seder project. MoreLess

In addition to adapting the Israel Seder Haggadah for younger participants, she will be working with the team to create guides for teachers and other community leaders to bring Israel Seders into schools, camps, and other community venues.

Ellen Krause-Grosman, Organizational Consultant

Ellen Krause-Grosman works with the team to turn the vision of Israel Seders into reality. She brings to this project her love of all things Jewish and a background in non-profit and for-profit organizational consulting and operations management.

Jacob Markey, Project Coordinator

Jacob Markey is currently a graduate student in the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis University, pursuing a MA/MPP. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before returning to school, he worked for the Union for Reform Judaism as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel.

Ellen Wolfson, Webmaster

Ellen Wolfson’s love of ritual and storytelling has taken her from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies to the classroom for a PhD in Theater. She has been creating and developing websites since 2010.